A cobpobation



2 Sheets-Sheet June 19, 1928.

A J. VASSELLI AUTOMATIC. more sum-Ion FINDER Original Filed mine 10. 1924 INVENTOR.

7M. AWL/5 A TT'ORNEY,

A. J. VASSELLI AUTOMATIC RADIO STATION FINDER R June 19, 1928.

2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Ori-ginaLFiled June 10, 1924 INVE/VTaR, g,

A TTORNE Y,

I June 19, 1928. T

'VUNITED STATE-S Re. 11,ooz PATENT OFFICE.

ANTHONY a. vassmr, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, assmNon, BY AmortlmN'rs, T zENrrn name CORPORATION, or cnrcaeo, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION I OF ILLINOIS.

I AUTOMATIC RADIO STATION FINDER.

Original 80. 1,sa1,14s, dated April 20, 1926, Serial No. 719,123, filed June 10, 1924., Application to: mime i filed April 14, 1928.

. By common methods of'operating radio receiving sets for the purpose of successively bringing in a series of broadcasting stations, it is necessary to separately manipulate the 6 several tuning and regulating devices upon the panel for each separate station brought in. If the program being broadcasted by the particular station brought in for the time being is unsatisfactory, it becomes necessaryto reset for some other station. This is always a time-consuming operation, and freequentl portions of a desirable program are misse because of the time consumed in tuningin the articular station desired, in order to get the best reception possible.

' It is the purpose 'of the present invention to provide-an automatic setting mechanism, whereby each of the several tuning and adjusting devices mounted upon the panel may Q be automatically and simultaneously reset for any particular station desired. Provision is also made for a plurality of stations, so that the setting mechanism may be adjusted for each individual station and, once set for that station, may be returned to the proper position to bring in that station at will, without the necessity of returning each of the several instruments upon the panel separately.

- Y It is found, in the operating of receiving 80 sets, that when all of the several. instruments are set and properly tuned to bring in a particular broadcasting station, a change in atmospheric or static conditions will require slight changes in the adjustment of the several instruments in order that clear and loud reception may be attained. Means are provided for such additional adjustment by leaving the adjusting elements exposed, so that they may be manipulated individually to obtain the best results after the particular station has been brought in.

In order that the device may be adapted to 1 existing receiving sets, the structure has been designed in such a manner that the setting devices thereof may be shifted and reset to conform with the requirements of various receiving sets that are now on the market.

In carrying out the invention, use is made of the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

mounted the frame of the improved finder.

Serial No. 270,086.

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the finder, showing a plurality of the settin de vices in various adjusted positions to Ering in diflerent stations.

Fig. 2 is a right hand end elevational View of the same. a

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line I--I of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view, of one of the adjusting wheels.

Fig. 5 is a fractional elevational view of the end of a finder, showing a modified form of adjustment.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, taken on line VV of Fig. 5. In Fig. 1 is shown a typical radio receiv ing cabinet 1 having a plurality bftuning and adjusting instruments mounted upon the panel, while on the top of this cabinet 1 is This frame consists of end standards 2 and 3 and a middle standard 4, all being substantially alike in general contour, with the ex ception that the standard 3 is provided with additionalbearing brackets hereinafter to be fully described.

Each standard is provided with feet 5 by which it is secured to a base plate 6, secured to the top of the receiving cabinet. In the upper ends of the three standards 2, 3, and 4 is mounted a horizontal shaft 7 upon which several cup shaped disc wheels 8 are fixed.

At the right hand end' of the shaft 7 is a worm wheel 9, in position to engage the worm 10 upon a horizontal crank shaft 11, which latter is mounted in bearing brackets 12 and 13 projecting inwardly and integral with the end standard 3, and on the end of shaft 11 is a crank 14 by which the shaft 7 may be rotated as above described.

The several discs 8 are all'alike in structure and are made with a laterally pro ecting annular flange 15, in whichare several adjusting screws 16, spaced apart at uniform intervals around'the periphery of the flange and capable of lineal adjustment by means of their knurled heads 17. The shaft 7 is provided with a longitudinal groove 18 the several adjusting screws 16-may be kept in re ister, and by which the several discs may be adjusted to correct positions along the shaft to bring them in proper alignment with the several tuning instruments within the cabinet.

At the middle of the shaft 7 and adjacent to the standard 4 is mounted a master or index drum 21, having printed upon its periphe the station letters of as many of the broa casting stations as there are ad ustin screws 16 in each of the several discs- 8.

llpon the standard 4 is mounted a rigid pointer arm 22, which projects radially outward and has at its outer end an index pointer 23 in position. to register with the stations indicated on the periphery of the drum 21. If the crank-14 is turned, its rotary movement will .be communicated through the shaft 11, worm 10, and worm wheel 9 to the-shaft 7, thereby causing the index drum 21 to rotate and bring the various station letters upon its periphery successively beneath the index pointer 23. The.

gear-ratio of the worm 10 and worm wheel 9 is such "as to require a complete revolution of the crank 14 to produce an advance of one space indicated upon the drum 21.

The several devices used in connection with" radio telephony, such as condensers, couplers, rheostats, etc., are usually mounted upon an insulating panel 24 and extend .therefrom within the body of the cabinet.

The shafts for operating these several devices ordinarily project through the front face of the panel and are provided with index dials by which said devices are adjustably operated in the usual well known-manner. V

In order to adapt the invention to the operation of these several devices, there is upon each of their respective shafts S, a

small pinion 25 (see Fig. 1), immediately inside of the panel 24. Extending through the late 6, on the top of the cabinet and guid d by it, is a; long hair 26, having a rack 27 thereon in position to engage the pinion 25. I

This rack is guided by and held in such engagement by a bracket 28, which is secure to the inner face of the panel24 by means of screws 29. A part of thebracket is disposed. around the bar 26 to form a guide therefor and hold the bar with its rack in engagement with the teeth of the pinion 25 as above indicated.

It should be understood that one of these' rack and pinion devices is used to operate eachone of the several instruments which are mounted on the panel and, since they are all alike, a description of one will suflice for a A tension spring 31 connects a pin 32 proeoting from the side of the bar 26 with a 00k suspended from the upper wall ofthe cabinet, so that the normal action of said spring is to elevate the bar 26 to its uppermost position, such elevation being attended by the turning of the pinion 25 and the instrument operated thereby to what may be termed its zero position. I 1

The bars 26 are each in vertical alignment with the axis of the shaft 7 above referred to, and the discs 8 are adjusted along said shaft sothat one of the screws 16 will also be in vertical alignment with the head of the correspondin" bar 26.

With the shaft 7 locked in such the knurled heads of the devices may be turned to adjust the respective screws 16 out from or into the several flanges 15, with resulting adjustment of each particular device to which the respective bar 26 is connected, and each of these adjusting screws will be manipulated to bring in a particular broadcastin station, and, when so brought in, the cranl; 14 may be turned one revolution to bring the next line of adjusting screws into alignment with the several bars 26, when these adjusting screws may be adjusted in the same manner to bring in the second station, and so on until the entire number of twelve stations are brought in.

If it is desired to return to any one of the stations in order to listen to the program being broadcasted thereby, it is only necessary to turn the crank 14 until the particular station indicated is brought under the index pointer 23 and the several bars 26 permitted to come in contact with the extreme point of the several adjusting screws 16 which have previously been properly adposition, several ad usting 1 justed to bring in that particular station.

Unless some provision is made to clear the ad usting devices before turning the crank 14, and with it the shaft 7, it is obvious that the several adjusting'screws 16 will inter-' the several screws 16 are turned out of alignment therewith.

As a clearing device, in the bottom of the cabinet is a bar 33, pivotally secured in the ends of the cabinet at 34 and 35 and extending forward so that the middle section of the bar is substantially parallel with the inner face .of the panel 24.

Atthe middle of the bar connected lever 36, the bottom of the cabinet and projecting through a slot 38 upon the lower front of the panel. I

Each of the bars 26 has its extreme lower end bent inwardly at right angles, as at 39.

33 is a rigidly so as to lie in the path of the lower edge of thebar 33. A coil spring 40 connects the lever 36'with the top wall of the cabinet to normally hold the bar 33 elevated and out pivoted in a bracket 37 at ill) ill

At the ri ht end of the device is a vertically slida )le bar 41, projecting through the top of the cabinet and guided in a slot in the plate 6 along the inner face of-the standard 3. Its upper end is off- ;:et and provided with a single tooth 42, which en-' gages a single groove in the periphery of a disc 43 i'nountcd upon the shaft 11.

A pin 44 projects from the side of the bar, from which the coil spring extends to a hook 4-6 in the upper wall of the cabinet, the tendency of said. spring being to hold the tooth 42 in engagement with the groove and thus lock the shaft against rotation.

The lower end 01' the bar '41 is provided with a hook 47 in position to be engaged by the radial arm ofthe bar 33 when said bar is depressed. From this construction, it will benoted that the shaft 11 will be locked against rotating until such time as the lever 36 is depressed by hand, and that such depression will simultaneously carry with it all of the vertical sliding '8 26, therebyclearing all of the heads of said bars from engagement with the entire line of the adjusting screws 16; and at thelsame time the locking tooth 42 is disengaged from the disc 43.

The shaft 11 may now be rotated to'bring any one of thebroadcasting stations indicated upon the drum 21 adjacent to the index pointer 22 after which the lever 36 may be released so that each of the bars 26 will be elevated by its spring 31 until the heads of the several bars engage the points of -the respective adjusted screws 16.

Simub taneously the tooth'42 will engage the groove int-he disc 43 and thus lock the shaft 7 in place.

In Figs. 5 and 6, a slightly modified setting'mechanism is shown, the rest of the devlces remaining the same as above described. In this case the shaft 7, having mounted thcreon the plurality of disc wheels 8, projects througl'i the end' standard 3' and has secured at its outer end a turning knob 50.

' 'On the inside of the standard 3 is an index disc 51, rigidly secured upon the shaft 7 and having in its periphery a plurality of slots 52, therebeing as many f-such slots as there are adjusting screws 16 in the discs 8. A vertically slidable locking bar53, corresponding with the bar 41 above described, has off-set tooth 54 in vertical alignment with the axis of the shaft 7, and in position to engage the grooves 52 as the shaft 7 and disc 51 are turned by the knob 50. p All of the other mechanisms being the same as that described in connection with Figs. 1, 2,. and 3, it is obvious-that upon depressing the lever 36 the several operating bars 26 will be simultaneously depressed,

as will also the bar53 with its locking tooth 54 to unlock the shaft 7. Theknob 50 may then be turned to bring any particular statlon into registry with the index pointer 23, whereupon the lever 36 will be released, permitting the several operating bars 26 to e elevated by their respective springs 31, and also the elevation ol? the locking bar 53 to bring its tooth 5.4 into engagement with the corresponding slot in the index disc 51, thereby locking the entire mechanism in its changed position for bringing in any desired station. The mechanism just described affords a quick and convenient means for turning the shaft 7 to any station indicated upon the drum '21.

While the discs 8 are shown as provided with twelve adjusting screws 16, it is obvious that additional screws could be inserted in. the flanges 15, so as to provide for a larger number of stations. The drawing also shows six of such disc' wheels 8 mounted up on the shaft 7 in Fig. 1, but the number of such discs may be increased or diminished as the number of instruments within the cabinct' are increased. or diminished. As'

above indicated, the entire set of adjusting screws 16 may be adjusted for any series of broadcasting stations, so that the shaft 7v may be turned to bringin any one of such stations.

It often happens that atmospheric or thcr small adjustment of some one oli the several instruments in the receiving set desirable in order to obtain the best results, and this may be readily done by turning slightly one or more'of the knurled heads on t the adjusting screws 16, all of which are exposed and in position for easy and ready manipulation.

Inasmuch as the adjusting screws 16 may be turned in either direction, it is obvious that accurate micrometric adjustments of any one of the several tuning instruments withtion. I therefore claim broadly the adj usting means whereby a plurality of operating "static conditions are suchas to make a furwould come within the scope of my inveuinstruments may be reset as often asdesired'and locked insaid reset or readjustr' ment positions. Mechanism embodying'the principle of my invention may be adapted for use in other relation, and I claim broadscrews, one for each station,.a mount common to all of said screws, and means for rotating said mount to bring any selected screw into o erative position with'the racks actuating said devices. 7

2. In a. radio station finder, in combination with the tuning'instrument of a receiving set having an operating shaft, a pinion mounted upon said shaft, a vertically slidable spring actuated rack for rotating said shaft, and a plurality of adjusting screws, each capable of separate aligmnent with said rack, whereby the vertical reciprocation of said rack may be limited by said adjust ng screws when separately and independentlyaligned with said rack.

3. In a radio station finder, the combinationwith the operating shaft of a tuning-instrument for a radio receiving set, of a pinion upon said shaft, a reciprocating rack engaging said pinion, and a screw adjustable in alignmentwith the end of said rack for limiting the reciprocations thereof.

4. In a radio station finder, the combination with the operating shaft of a tuning in strument for radio receiving set, of a pinion .mountcd upon said shaft, a reciprocating rack engaging said pinion, a plurality of screws each independently ad ustable in alignment with said rack, and means for shiftably supporting said screws to align any one of them with said rack, whereby its reciprocations and the corresponding rotalion o-Esaid shaft may be limited in a predetermined manner.-

5. In a radio station finder, the combination with a tuning instrument of a radio receiving set, and means for adjusting said instrument, of a plurality of adjusting devices associated with said means, each of said devices being capable of separate and independentadjustment, and means of shifting said devices respectively into engagement with said adjusting i'neans, wherebysaid instrument may be reset at will to conform to predetermined adjustments respectively of said adjusting devices. v

(i. In a radio station finder, the combination with a tuning instrument of a radio receiving set, of a fpinion mounted upon the operating shaft 0 said instrument, a reciprocating rack for rotating said inion, a plurality of adjusting screws, an a shiftable support for said screws whereby'each screw may be separately aligned with the end of sai rack to limit its reci rocation to conform to a predetermined adjustment of said screws respectively.

7. In a radio station finder, the combination with the cabinet of a radio receiving set, and a tuning instrument enclosed therein, of a reciprocating bar for operating said instrument, a disc rotatably mounted upon said cabinet, and a plurality of adjusting screws located respectively in spaced rcla-' tion on the periphery of said disc, whereby any one of said screws may be swung into alignment with the end of said rack to limit its reciprocation to conform to a predetermined adjustment of said screws respectively.

8. In a radio station finder, the combination with the cabinet of a radio receiving set, and a tuning instrument enclosed there in, of a reciprocating spring actuated bar for operating said instrument, said bar projecting through the top of said cabinet, a rotatable shaft supported upon said cabinet, :1 disc wheel mounted upon said shaft, and a plurality of adjusting screws carried at the periphery of said disc, each capable of separate alignment with the end of said rack, whereby the'reciprocation of said rack may be limited to conform to the predetermined adjustment of said screws respectively.

9. In a radio station finder, the combination with a radio receiving cabinet, and a plurality of tuning instruments enclosed therein, of a plurality of reciprocating bars projecting through the top of said cabinet and each operatively connected with an instrument therein, a spring connected to each bar for elevating the same, a rotatable shaft supported upon said cabinet in alignment with said bars, a plurality of discs, each longitudinally adjustable along said shaft into alignment respectively with said bars, and a plurality of radially adjustable screws mounted in the periphery of each of said discs, whereby the rotation of said shaft will bring said screws successively into alignment with said bars and limit their vertical elevation to conform to predetermined 'adjustments of said screws.

10. In a radio station finder, the combination with a radio receiving cabinet, and a plurality of tuning instruments enclosed therein, of a plurality of reci rocating bars projecting through the top 0 said cabinet, each bar being operatively, connected with an instrument therein, a spring connected to each bar for elevating the same, a rotatable shaft supported upon said cabinet in alignment with said bars, a plurality of discs, each longitudinally adjustable alon said shaft into alignment respectively wit said bars, a plurality of radially adjustable screws mounted in the peri hery of each of said discs, whereby the rotation of said shaft will bring said screws successively into alignment with said bars and limit their vertical elevation to conform to predetermined adjustments simultaneously depressing all of said bars to permit the free'rotation of said shaft without interference between said adjusting screws and the ends of said bars.

11. In a radio station finder, the combination with a radio receiving cabinet, and a plurality of tuning instruments enclosed therein, of a plurality of reciprocating bars projecting through the top of sa d cabinet and each operativelyconnected with an instrument therein, a spring connected to each bar. for elevating the same, a rotatable shaft supported upon said cabinet in alignment with said bars, a plurality of discs, each longitudinally adjustable along said shaft into alignment respectively with said bars, a plurality of radially adjustable screws mounted in the periphery of'each of said 'discs, whereby the rotation of said shaft will bring said screws successively into alignment with said bars and limit their vertical elevation to conform to predetermined adjustments of said screws, and means for locking said shaft against rotation.

12. In a radio station finder, the combination with a radio receiving cabinet, and a plurality of tuning instruments enclosed therein of a plurality of reciprocating bars projecting through the top of said cabinet and each opcrativcly connected with an instrument therein, a. spring connected to each bar for elevating the same, a rotatable shaft supported upon said cabinet in alignment with said bars, a plurality of discs,'eaeh longitudinally adjustable along said shaft into alignment respectively with said bars, a: plurality of radially adjust-able screws mounted in the periphery of each of said discs, whereby the rotation of said shaft will bring said screws successively into alignment with said bars and limit'thcir vertical elevation to conform to predetermined adjustmcnts of said screws, means for locking said shaft against rotation, and means for simultaneously unlocking said shaft and depressing said bars to permit the free rotation of said discs without interference between said screws and bars.

13. In'a radio station finder, the combina-' tion with the operating shaft of a tuning instrument for a radio receiving set, of a pinion mounted upon said shaft, a reciprocating rack engaging said pinion, an adjustable abutment, and a shiftable sup-port for said abutment operating to move it into and from a osition in which it acts upon said rack and determines the extent of its rcciprocation.

14. In a radio station finder, the combination with the operating shaft of a tuning instrument for a radio receiving set, of a.

of said screws, and means for pinion mounted upon said shaft, a-reciprocable rack engagin said pinion, means operatin to move sai rack andthereby effect the adjustment of said tuning instrument, and an adjustable abutment bodily movable into and from a position contacting with said rack, acting to adjustably determine the extent to which said rack may be moved by said means and thereby prcdetermine the degree to which the operation of said means may effect the adjustment of said tuning instruinent;

15. In a radio station tinder, the combination, with an adju ting instrunu-ntof a. radio receiving 'sct, o'l' a. shaft rotatable to adjust .said instrument, a pinion secured upon said shaft, :1 rceiprta-ably movable rack engaging said pinion, .an adjustable abutment movable into and from a position to contact with said rack and determine the ex tent of its movement, and an operable support carrying said aluitment; said support acting upon operation to bring said abutment into service to adjustably determine the movement of said rack and pinion, the rotation of said shaft, and the adjustment of said adjusting instrument.

16. In a radio station finder, the combination, with an adjusting instrument of a radio receiving set, of a shaft rotatable to adjust said instrument, a pinion secured upon said shaft, a reciprocable movable rack engaging said pinion, and a rack-:u-tliating device free from connection with said rack and acting upon operation to engage said rack and effect its movement and the rotation of said pinion and said shaft.

17. In a radio station finder, the combination,v with an adjusting instrument ofa radio receiving set, of means acting upon operation to adjust said instrument, a phi-- rality of adjusting devices associated with said means, each of said devices bein capable of separate and independent a justment, and means operable to shift said devices respectively into engagement with said adjusting means, whereby said instrument may be reset at will to conform to predetermined adjustments respectively of said adjusting devices.

18. In a radio station finder, the combination with the operating shaft of a tuning instrumentfor a radio receiving set, of a pinionmounted upon said shaft, a reciprocable rack engaging said pinion, means op erating to move said rack and thereby effect the adjustment of said tuning instrument,

and means bodily movable into and'from a position contacting with said rack, acting to determine the extent to which said rack may be moved by said rack-moving means and thereby predctermine the degree to which the operation of said rack-moving means may effect the adjustment of said tuning instrument.

lots

19. In a radio station finder, the combination with the operating shaft of a tuning instrument for a radio receiving set, of a pinion mounted upon said shaft, a reciprocable rack engaging said pinion, means operatin to move said rack and thereby effect the a justment of said tuning instrument,

and a plurality of means selectively movable into a position contacting with said rack, each acting when in such position to deter mine the extent to which said rack may be moved by said rack-moving means and thereby individually predetermine the degree to which the 0 eration of said rack-moving means may e ect the adjustment of said tuning instrument.

20. In a radio station finder, the combina- 17,ooa

tion with'the operating shaft of a tuning instrument for a radio receiving set, of a pinion mounted upon said shaft, a reciprocable rack engaging said-- pinion, a spring operating to move said rack and thereby cl'l'ect the adjustment of said tuning instrun'umt, and means bodily movable into and from a position contacting with said rack, acting to determine the extent to which said rack may be moved by said spring and thereby predetermine the degree to which the operation of said spring may eifect the adjustment of said tuning instrument.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ANTHONY J. vAssELLL 

